Lady&#39;s handbag



Nov. 17, 1936. B. STEMBER LADYS HANDBAG Filed April 5, 1955 INVENTOR. Bar/2am zfember ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 17, 1936 UNETED STATE vFATEN'E' GFFEE 5 Claims.

This invention relates generally to ladies handbags and more particularly to billfolds and the like carried in ladies handbags or pocketbooks.

Removable billfolds of the conventional type usually carried in handbags or pocketbooks are easily lost or stolen. It occasionally happens that the pocketbook or handbag accidently opens, subjecting the billfold to being dropped or stolen; at times the owner removes the billfold from the handbag or pocketbook and forgets to return the same therein, or misplaces the same.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a ladies handbag or pocketbook with a captive billfold, pocket or similar device, that is, a billfold securely attached therein or thereto and which therefore, cannot be separated therefrom thereby preventing its being misplaced or carried away. I

It is another object of this invention to provide a billfold or pocket with a flexible retaining strip or strap for attachment to a pocketbook or handbag, the said strip or strap being constructed so that when folded, it will substantially close the opening of the billfold.

These advantageous objects are attained by the novel design, construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, constituting a feature of this disclosure, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a ladies handbag, opened, indicating a billfold constructed in accordance with the invention, tucked away.

Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken through one wall of the handbag and its side pocket, with the billfold tucked away in the sidepocket.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of a portion of a pocketbook or handbag with the billfold extended.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic partial view of a handbag or pocketbook indicating the direction of folding the billfold.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic partial view of a handbag or pocketbook indicating the manner in which the folded billfold is turned over on its flexible retaining member.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic partial view of a handbag or pocketbook indicating the manner in which the folded billfold with its turned over retaining member is placed into the side-pocket of the handbag or pocketbook.

Referring to the drawing, a handbag II] with the conventional hand strap II and frame l2 has a side pocket 13 which may be secured to the inside lining M of handbag Ill. The outside portion l5 of the handbag may be formed of cloth, leather, imitation leather, or any other suitable material. Stitches I6 secure the inside side pocket H3. The billfold, pocket or other substantially flat article receiving device H which is preferably made flexible and preferably provided with a transverse fold line or crease C to enable being folded upon itself, may be of any conventional design and shape and may be made to harmonize with the handbag or pocketbook as a whole. For easier removal of the bills A, the front wall I8 of billfold Il may be lower than the rear wall IE! to which it is joined by stitches Secured to the edge of rear wall I9 of billfold or pocket ll adjacent its opening, and preferably to one side of crease C thereof, by means of stitches 20 or other suitable means is a flexible retaining or connecting member which is indicated in the drawing as a flexible strap or strip 2|, made preferably of fabric, although any other suitable material may be employed. The inner or opposite end 22 of retaining member 2| is secured to the inside lining M by stitches 23, at any convenient height or point, within side pocket l3.

The length of the retaining member 2|, from the top 25 of the side pocket l3 to the edge 24 0f billfold I! is preferably made somewhat greater than the depth of billfold N. This will permit the folding of member 2| over the free edges of the walls bordering opening 26 of the billfold before the latter is made to enter the side pocket I3. This is clearly illustrated in Figure 5. By this particular folding means, the walls I8, I9 of pocket I3 are brought together to substantially close the opening 26 of the billfold II.

By means of flexible retaining or connecting member 2 I, billfold I1 is held captive at all times with relation to the pocketbook or handbag II]. It cannot be separated therefrom unless deliberately severed therefrom by an instrument or by sheer force.

The manner of returning the billfold l'I into the side pocket I3 is clearly indicated in Figs. 4, 5, and 6. The billfold is first folded upon itself on crease C in the direction of the arrow as indicated in Fig. 4; it is then folded over retaining or connecting member 2| in the direction of the arrow as indicated in Fig. 5; and then slid into pocket I3 in the direction of the arrow as indicated in Fig. 6.

Although I have described my invention with some detail and with respect to certain particular form of my invention, I do not desire to be limited to such details since many changes and modifications may well be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention in its broadest aspect.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a bag or like article provided with a pocket therewithin, a substantially flat flexible article receiving device having an opening and foldable upon itself, and a flexible member connecting said device and said bag, said member being of a length greater than the depth of said device and being secured to the edge of said device adjacent its opening, said member adapted to substantially close said opening when said device is folded upon itself and said member folded over the edges bordering said opening, said device when folded being insertable in said pocket.

2. In a bag or like article provided with a pocket therewithin, a substantially flat article receiving device having an opening, through which the article may be received, and a flexible member connecting said device and said bag, said member being of a length greater than the depth of said device and being secured to the edge of said device adjacent its opening, said member adapted to substantially close said opening when said member is folded over the edges bordering said opening, said device being insertable in said pocket.

3. In a bag or like article, a substantially flat article receiving device having an opening through which the article may be received, and a flexible member connecting said device and said bag, said member being of a length greater than the depth of said device and being secured to the edge of said device adjacent its opening, said member adapted to substantially close said opening when said member is folded over the edges bordering said opening.

4. In a bag or like article provided with an inside pocket, a flexible billfold comprising a body having a front wall and a rear wall joined to form a pocket with an opening to the pocket, said body being transversely foldable upon itself, and a flexible member secured at one end to the edge of one of the walls adjacent the opening and secured at its other end to said inside pocket, and of a length greater than the depth of said billfold, said member adapted to substantially close said opening when said billfold is folded upon itself and said member folded over the edges bordering said opening, said billfold when folded being insertable in said pocket.

5. In a bag or like article provided with a pocket therewithin, a substantially fiat article receiving device having joined walls and an opening therebetween through which the article may be received, and a flexible member secured at one end to one of the walls adjacent said opening and at its other end to said pocket, and of a length greater than the depth of said device, said member adapted to bring said walls together to substantially close said opening when said member is folded over the edges of said walls bordering said opening, said device being insertable in said pocket.

BERNARD STEMBER. 

